Can confronting your darkest memories open the door to healing? I sit down with my dear friend Donna Bardell to explore her remarkable journey of resilience and recovery.  Donna faced a childhood marred by dysfunction, substance abuse, and trauma. Despite these adversities, she achieved significant milestones such as graduating from Cornell University and successfully raising her children as a single parent. Her story is a powerful testament to the strength required to overcome familial challenges and build a thriving life.

Listen as Donna courageously discusses her path to confronting and validating painful memories, starting with a pivotal moment during her high school years that unearthed buried trauma. Through candid conversations with her family and professional therapy, Donna emphasizes the crucial role of validation and the importance of understanding one's experiences. We delve into other therapeutic modalities that have been instrumental in her healing journey, offering practical advice for those grappling with similar traumas.

Donna also opens up about her emotional reconciliation with her father, sharing a deeply personal narrative of confrontation, estrangement, and eventual dialogue that led to healing. Her fictional book "Hope Island" serves as another outlet for her experiences, telling the story of a young girl overcoming sexual abuse through magical adventures. This episode underscores the significance of joy and play in the healing process and stresses the importance of maintaining health and well-being post-retirement.

Donna's Information:
English Version Paperback: Hope Island: An Adventure of Self-Discovery and Personal Growth (Sophia's Sacred Journey): Bardell, Donna: 9781641841757: Amazon.com: Books
English Version Kindle: Amazon.com: Hope Island: An Adventure of Self-Discovery and Personal Growth (Sophia's Sacred Journey Book 1) eBook : Bardell, Donna: Books
Spanish Version Paperback: Isla de Esperanza: Una aventura de autodescubrimiento y crecimiento personal (Sophia's Sacred Journey) (Spanish Edition): Bardell, Donna: 9781641841771: Amazon.com: Books
Spanish Version Kindle too.

   **The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute  legal advice;  instead, all in